Barnes & Noble

In the dystopian future depicted in this hyperkinetic, action-packed thriller, athletic competitions are blood sports and a game's popularity surges in proportion to its body count. Director John McTiernan (The Thomas Crown Affair), reworking Norman Jewison's 1975 sci-fi hit, envisions a time not too far off when a depraved indifference to human life would seem to have become ingrained within popular culture, and international TV cartels manipulate the outcome of sporting events to bolster ratings. Chris Klein stars as a young athlete recruited by promoter Jean Reno to play in the fastest, most dangerous game of them all: rollerball. LL Cool J and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos are Klein's fellow teammates, fatalistic performers who realize their lives could be snuffed out -- at the whim of the promoter -- in the very next match. McTiernan's peripatetic camera and quicksilver editing make this extravagantly appointed remake one of the most rapidly paced movies ever. The short cuts, dazzling lights, and whizzing figures will make you think you're watching a rock video through strobe lights. Pay no attention to the plot; just grab some popcorn, settle back, and let the fast, plentiful action suck you into the cinematic vortex that is Rollerball. Klein and Romijn-Stamos supply a commentary for the DVD, which also includes a fascinating featurette that shows how the stunt sequences were staged and filmed, and restores scenes deleted from the theatrical version. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

This remake of the classic 1975 science fiction film follows the same basic story line but focuses far more on the sports action of the fictional game at its center. Chris Klein stars as all-American athlete Jonathan Cross, the most popular player of "Rollerball," a violent 21st century sport mixing elements of basketball, hockey, roller derby, and extreme sports, along with the development of live wagering that tracks each game's action. Along with his friends and teammates Marcus (L.L. Cool J) and Aurora (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos), Jonathan is living the life of a media celebrity and millionaire, enjoying the adoration of fans and all of the perks that his fame brings. When the creator of Rollerball, Alexi Petrovich (Jean Reno), realizes that the sport's ratings spike during the on-court accidents that are de rigueur for the game, he schemes to create the bloody incidents that are popular with viewers but put the athletes in mortal jeopardy. Soon, Jonathan and his friends find themselves pawns in a vast corporate conspiracy in which their lives are far less important than profits. Rollerball (2002) also stars pop singer Pink in her acting debut. Karl Williams

Washington Post

For those with the stomach and stamina for its heartbeat-quickening intensity and body-slamming action, Rollerball delivers exactly what it promises: A people's hero you can really get behind. Michael O'Sullivan

Product Details

• UPC: 883904143765
• Source: MGM (VIDEO & DVD)
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: DTS 5.1-Channel Surround Sound, Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
• Editions: Subtitled, Dubbed, Bonus DVD
• Time: 1:37:00
• Sales Rank: 28,665

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Mad Max/Rollerball
• Rollerbal (1975) & (2002) (2pc) / (Chk Sen)

Features: